Reliability is improved for the mechanical electrical connection formed between a grid array device, such as a pin grid array device (PGA) or a column grid array device (CGA), and a substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB). Between adjacent PCB pads, a spacing pattern increases toward the periphery of the CGA, creating a misalignment between pads and columns. As part of the assembly method, columns align with the pads, resulting in column tilt that increases from the center to the periphery of the CGA. An advantage of this tilt is that it reduces the amount of contractions and expansions of columns during thermal cycling, thereby increasing the projected life of CGA. Another advantage of the method is that it reduces shear stress, further increasing the projected life of the CGA.